Coordination
by cym70
Summary: Amethyst thinks Peridot and Lapis are dating, Lapis thinks Peridot and Amethyst are dating, and Peridot gets all her knowledge of relationships from TV. They'll figure it out eventually. (for Lapamedot Week 2016)


"Hey," Amethyst called, sticking her head into the barn. "Anybody home?"

"Just me," Lapis said warily, looking up from a book she was reading in the far corner. "Peridot's out."

"Oh, uh, yeah, I forgot," she said awkwardly. She made no move to leave.

"…Did you need something?"

"No!" Amethyst replied quickly. "I mean, kinda, but…"

"She'll be back in time for the usual _Camp Pining Hearts_ reruns."

"Yeah."

Lapis watched her, eyes narrowing when she realized Amethyst still wasn't leaving. "What?" she asked flatly.

Amethyst broke eye contact, scuffing her foot against the floor with a little too much vigor. "Dunno. I just figured I owed you an apology for being a jerk the other day."

"Which day would that be?" Lapis asked sarcastically.

She shrugged, letting her hair fall over part of her face. "The day you and P-dot were trying to impress us with all your…" She gestured wildly at the barn as a whole.

"Meep morp," Lapis supplied.

"Yeah, that. I was all caught up in my own junk and I kinda blew you guys off."

"Yes, you did."

Amethyst's one visible eye snapped back up to glare at her. "You're not gonna make this easy, are you?"

Lapis crossed her arms. "Peridot was disappointed. She thought you'd be impressed with all this."

"Wait, you're mad that I upset _Peridot?_ Not because I called your morps a waste of time and brought up you-know-who?"

"I can be mad for more than one reason," Lapis said sharply. "And you can call her Jasper."

She shifted uncomfortably. "Well, Peri said…"

"Peridot says a lot of things."

"But you don't like talking about her," Amethyst said exasperatedly.

"No, I don't," Lapis agreed in a low voice. "But I also don't expect everyone to walk on eggshells around me. I appreciate that Peridot doesn't bring her up but…" Her fingers clenched around her arms. "She's my roommate. The rest of you are different."

"Doesn't mean we can't be nice about it," Amethyst muttered. "You don't want to talk about it, I'm not gonna force you to. No point making you feel bad."

"…Thanks," she replied slowly.

"Yeah. So…sorry. I know I haven't been that fun to be around lately."

Lapis nodded, tense posture easing.

"Also the prisoner thing was pretty insensitive; Peri got on me for that one," she added awkwardly, forcing a smile. "Sorry for screwing up that day too."

Her eyes softened just a little. "Apologies accepted."

"Thanks." Amethyst took a few steps in. "So, uh, got any new morps?"

Lapis gave her a scrutinizing look, like she couldn't tell if Amethyst was making fun of her.

"Seriously," she insisted. "I love messing around with random stuff. Show me what you got."

She slowly uncrossed her arms. "Okay."

* * *

Peridot returned home to find Lapis and Amethyst sprawled out comfortably in the bed of the truck.

"Hi, Lapis! Hi, Amethyst!" she shouted up to them. "What's going on?"

"Season 1," Lapis called back.

"Lapis is giving me the crash course!" Amethyst added cheerfully. "I didn't know your show was so _complicated!_ "

Peridot hurried to get up to the truck as well, jumping in beside Amethyst. "The _real_ complexities start showing up in season 2—but that's not the point! What are you doing here?"

"What, you don't want me and Lapis swapping Peri stories?" she joked, though her smile faltered a bit as she said it.

A blush rose to her cheeks. "I—I don't _mind_. What kind of stories?" she demanded.

"The cute kind," Amethyst replied, grinning as Peridot scrunched up her face in embarrassment. "Right, Lappy?"

"It's Lapis," she said, barely looking up from the TV.

"Nicknames signify friendship and affection," Peridot piped up. "And I'm not cute!"

"I don't really feel like arguing with you," Lapis replied.

"I'll argue," Amethyst volunteered. "Peri is _extra_ cute. And you still have to finish telling me that story, Lapis."

"So you _do_ know my name."

"Gotta know it to make the cool nicknames," she said with a wink.

Lapis gave her a mildly amused stare. "Alright, I'll finish the story."

" _What_ story?" Peridot asked insistently.

She smirked. "You know which one."

" _Lapis!_ " she whined. "You promised not to tell!"

Lapis laughed and reached over to put a hand on Peridot's head. "Not the _really_ embarrassing one. Our roommate pact is safe."

Peridot huffed, calming down a little. "Good."

"Wait, you guys have a pact?" Amethyst asked. "I want in on the pact."

"You're not our roommate."

"C'mon, can't I be an honorary roommate?"

"Well…" Peridot looked to Lapis, who shrugged and nodded. "Okay! Amethyst, you are officially an honorary part of this roommate arrangement."

"Awesome!"

* * *

Being an "honorary roommate" had its privileges. Amethyst spent a good portion of her free time out at the barn, listening to Peridot rant about _Camp Pining Hearts_ , coming up with manga recommendations for Lapis, or helping out with their latest morps. And, in the evenings, the three of them made lazy conversation over the hum of the television.

Peridot and Lapis were good company, and Amethyst felt a little bad for thinking—however briefly—that the latter was the anything but fun. Lapis might have her bad days—and when she did, Amethyst and Peridot tried to give her the right balance of attention and space—but she really was enjoying her freedom, and Amethyst found new appreciation for her often understated sense of humor as she spent more time around her. And, of course, Peridot was Peridot. Unquenchable enthusiasm burst from her with every new project, and Amethyst could barely reconcile how animated and happy she seemed with the irritable and detached gem who had threatened their planet's safety only months prior.

The barn was great, and being around Lapis and Peridot was great. Honestly, if she wasn't so attached to her room—and her family—at the temple, she might have decided to become a _real_ roommate. But it was great just the way it was too, with her popping in regularly to see if one or both of them was around.

Actually, she might have liked spending time with them a little _too_ much, but she tried to ignore that. No point messing up something good. Lapis and Peridot had a growing, incredibly cohesive bond that she should have envied but mostly just found herself appreciating. They'd made her feel like a part of their home too, not an unwanted guest or a third wheel.

So if she enjoyed the way Peridot squished herself into Amethyst's side when they watched movies or the way Lapis' arms locked around her as she flew her up to the roof… Nobody needed to know that.

* * *

The question was raised on a nondescript evening, a quiet day when all three of them were lazing around in the bed of the truck with the TV playing an episode from season one that Amethyst couldn't be bothered to remember the name of. Lapis seemed equally uninvested in it, but Peridot was sitting forward, eyes glued a little too fiercely to the screen.

"What would happen if Percy wanted to kiss two people?" she asked suddenly.

"For starters, it would solve this whole love triangle problem," Lapis said dryly.

"No, no, I mean— _can_ he do that?"

"Why not?" Amethyst replied. "I mean, as long as they're both cool with that."

"It's…not a problem?"

"Only if he's lying to them about it or something," Amethyst said with a shrug. "More than two people can date, y'know."

"Not on _Camp Pining Hearts_ ," Peridot said, turning to her with wide eyes.

"Well, yeah, it doesn't happen a lot on TV."

"But then I have no examples to gather information from!"

"Yeah, I know, it's just like that sometimes," Amethyst said. "TV doesn't work the same way as real life."

"Ugh, why is Earth so _complicated?!_ " Peridot banged her fists on the truck in frustration. "I just want to know what the correct protocol is!"

"Uh, okay, well…" Amethyst paused, thinking. "The important thing is that Percy talks to both people about the kissing or dating or whatever before you do anything. Like, you probably wouldn't be happy if Lapis decided she wanted to go kiss—I don't know—Pearl without telling you. But if you and Lapis and Pearl all talk about it beforehand and it's cool, then there's no problem."

"Why am I kissing Pearl?" Lapis asked, looking completely baffled. "And why does Peridot have anything to do with it?"

"'Cause you're dating, obviously," Amethyst replied.

"We are?"

"We _are?_ " Peridot repeated, blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Aren't you?" Amethyst asked, confused.

"Of course not," Lapis said, brow furrowed. "Peridot's clearly dating you."

"Wait, _what?_ " She looked between them. "No, no way, she's dating _you._ You've got the whole artistic roommate girlfriends vibe going on."

"But you're the one who's always showing her around Beach City and coming by to spend time with her."

"That's just _friend_ stuff. And I come by to spend time with you too!"

"Does that mean _we're_ dating?" Lapis asked, tilting her head. "What about Peridot?"

"I didn't know I was dating anyone!" Peridot exclaimed, face flushed a deep blue-green as she slid down onto her back.

"If nobody knew about it," Lapis said dryly, "I don't think it counts." She glanced at Amethyst, who was apparently considered to be the expert in these matters. "Does it?"

"Uh, no, don't think so."

"Then none of us are dating," she concluded, turning back to the TV.

"Oh," Peridot said quietly.

Amethyst glanced down at her. "You okay, P-dot?"

"Of course I am," she said immediately, though the anxious way her thumbnail was being chewed said otherwise. "I just don't understand your Earth rituals!"

"Uh huh. Sorry for all the confusion, homegirl." Amethyst placed a hand on top of her head as they continued watching the episode, Lapis rewinding back to where they had been before they got sidetracked. Peridot remained quiet the rest of the time, not looking particularly invested in the remainder of the show for once.

Once it was over, Lapis turned off the TV and leaned over curiously. "Peridot."

"What?"

"Do _you_ want to kiss two people?"

Peridot sat straight up, banging her head into Lapis' painfully. "Ow! Ow, ow, ow." She rubbed at her gem, trying to hide the flush of embarrassment that was quickly spreading across her face. "Sorry."

Lapis just waited, hand pressed ruefully to her own forehead.

"…Maybe?" Peridot said tentatively, not looking at either of them. "I-I mean, I've never actually performed kissing rituals in the first place, so I might be mistaken! I think I mean it more in the—the relationship sense, because I really like spending time with both of you and I think that means something and—and I don't know _what_ I want to do exactly, but it's something!" She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the worst.

"You…meant me?" Lapis asked quietly, just before Amethyst opened her mouth to speak. "You want to—to be in a relationship with _me?_ " Disbelief echoed in her voice.

"And Amethyst," Peridot added, still not looking. "Affirmative."

"But why?"

She flinched. "I-I don't know, I just do!" she snapped defensively. "And who did you think I meant?"

Lapis fell silent.

"You should go for it," Amethyst said. "Anybody can see you and Peri are great together."

"I don't think it's a good idea," she replied after a long pause. "You can date her. You'd be better at it."

"Huh? No, look, I appreciate you trying to be nice and not leave me out but—"

"I'm not being _nice._ I'm saying you're a much better choice than I am."

"Are you kidding? I'm a _mess._ "

"I'm a worse mess."

"Well—"

"Would you both just _stop it?!_ " Peridot shouted.

Their eyes immediately snapped back to her.

"I said _and!_ I like _both_ of you, you're _both_ my choice, and I think you're both great!" Peridot's hands tangled in her hair. "If neither of you like the idea, then just say so! You don't have to—to try and convince me that you're terrible!"

"Per—"

"I shouldn't have even _said_ anything, I'm such a _clod—_ " Her lips trembled as she pressed them together.

"Peri, no, wait, that's not what we meant," Amethyst said quickly, reaching for her.

Peridot squirmed away, refusing to look at her, and stood up. "Yes, it is," she said, voice cracking. "It's fine. Forget I asked."

"Wait!" Slender blue fingers caught Peridot's wrist, and Lapis stared at her hand like she couldn't remember moving it.

The smaller gem's breath caught, and she stared down at Lapis with teary eyes.

She couldn't seem to make her mouth open.

"What?" Peridot asked in a small voice.

Lapis looked at her, then looked at Amethyst, then somewhere off in the distance. "I liked the idea," she said finally. "I don't understand why—why you'd pick _me_ , but…I like it. Okay?"

She nodded slowly, still frozen.

"Amethyst?" Lapis prompted, looking unusually flustered.

"I—yeah. Yeah, me too. 'Course I like you guys." Her throat felt tight. "I just thought…you and Lapis had a good thing going, and I didn't want to get in the way."

"But you're _not_ in the way!" Peridot argued, sitting down again decisively. "Right, Lapis?"

"I thought we all agreed we hadn't been dating in the first place," she said.

Peridot gave her an impatient look.

Lapis sighed and scrubbed a hand across her forehead. "Of course you're not in the way, Amethyst. If we didn't want you here, we would have said something."

"Fair point," she said, barely managing to crack a smile. "So, uh, I guess if you want, we could… _actually_ date?"

"Really?" Peridot asked hopefully.

"Really." Amethyst reached over and poked Peridot in the cheek. "Prepare to be dated."

She giggled a little, eyes sparkling with happiness.

"What about you?" Amethyst asked Lapis, who was staring expressionless at the floor. "You in?"

"I…don't have the best track record with relationships," she murmured.

"Hey, we're all pretty new to this, it's not a big deal."

"I don't know…"

Peridot crawled closer to Lapis and placed a hand on her knee. "Just because the last one was terrible doesn't mean _you're_ terrible."

Lapis didn't respond.

"But it's okay if you don't want to. We'll still be roommates!"

"Yep, we're sticking around either way," Amethyst agreed, reaching over to ruffle Lapis' already messy hair.

Lapis blew out a slow breath, then lifted her head to look at them. "I'd like to try," she said uncertainly. "I don't know why you trust me so much, but I like being around you and I like _you_ , so…yes."

" _Yes!_ " Peridot flung her arms around Lapis and squeezed her happily. "Thank you!"

She did that little snort-laugh that Amethyst always thought was adorable, hugging Peridot back and looking over her shoulder at Amethyst. "You is plural, by the way. I guess we're promoting you from honorary roommate to girlfriend."

Amethyst grinned and joined the hug, Peridot sandwiched between her and Lapis contentedly. "Aww, thanks! I knew all that shoujo manga would rub off on you."

Lapis stuck out her tongue.

"Does this mean we can _all_ go on a date now?" Peridot asked excitedly.

"Sure thing," Amethyst replied. "Hey, Lapis hasn't seen Funland yet, right? We could show you around!"

"And the prizes would make excellent commemorative items for our meep morp!"

"Can't say no to that," Lapis laughed.

"Yeah!" Amethyst made to get up, then stopped. "Wait, no, it's pretty late. We'll have to go tomorrow instead."

"That works," Lapis agreed. "I think I'd rather just stay here for the night anyway. We can just keep watching _Camp Pining Hearts_ , right?"

"'Course we can, there's no rules!" Amethyst resituated herself, dragging a few blankets over and holding them up so Lapis and Peridot could get under too. "Girlfriend marathon night!"

Lapis slid in beside her, smiling a little as Peridot scrambled to join them as well. "So, what about that kissing?" she asked the small gem once she had gotten comfortable.

Peridot's face went a deep blue-green and she pulled the blanket up to her nose. "What about it?" she demanded.

"Still want to?" Amethyst asked with a grin.

" _Now?_ "

"Yeah, now," she laughed. "Unless you want to pencil it in for next week."

"Now's good," she squeaked out. "How—How exactly do we coordinate a three-person kiss?"

Amethyst shrugged.

"Like this." Lapis leaned over and kissed Peridot's cheek. She lingered there for just a second before turning around and doing the same for Amethyst. "There," she said, sounding halfway confident as she broke eye contact.

Amethyst could feel a blush crawling up her cheeks as she stared at Lapis, and Peridot looked almost ready to faint.

"…Did I do it right?"

"Definitely," Amethyst replied, tilting her head up so her lips could brush Lapis' cheek. "Good job. Get over here, Peri, I can't reach you."

Peridot clambered over Lapis' legs, half on her lap as she leaned towards Amethyst expectantly.

She smiled and kissed Peridot gently, pleased when the smaller gem immediately darted forward to return the gesture.

"One more," she declared, turning to Lapis and getting up on her knees so she could reach her cheek comfortably. "Kiss complete!" She flung herself across the other two, warm with embarrassment. "That's a lot more complicated than it looks on TV," she mumbled into Amethyst's leg.

"Guess we'll just have to practice," Amethyst teased lightly, bumping her shoulder against Lapis. "It'll be fun, right?"

Lapis smiled, letting herself relax into the impromptu cuddle pile they had begun to form. "Yeah. It will be."


End file.
